Putin claims Russia capturedclaims Russia captured strategic Ukrainian city Kostyantynivka after nine-month battle
Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed Russia captured the strategic Ukrainian city of Kostyantynivka in eastern Ukraine's Donetsk region following a nine-month battle. The city's pre-war population of nearly 70,000 has fallen to around 2,000 amid the conflict, while Russian drones simultaneously struck Zaporizhzhia.
This territorial gain marks a major advance for Moscow in its long-range war against Ukraine, potentially shifting the momentum on the eastern front.
Russian Perspective
Russian leadership asserts the capture of Kostyantynivka represents a decisive strategic victory in the ongoing war, marking a major milestone after nine months of intense combat in the Donetsk region.
Al Jazeera English
International observers describe the Russian claim of capturing Kostyantynivka as a significant expansion of Moscow's territorial control in eastern Ukraine, following a prolonged and costly battle that devastated the city.
- Kostyantynivka was once a thriving industrial hub before the war reduced its population to just 2,000 residents.
- The nine-month battle for Kostyantynivka is one of the longest single-city engagements in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
- Donetsk has been the primary frontline since 2022, with over 60% of its territory now under Russian control.
Russia-Ukraine Long-Range Energy and Defense War
Russia and Ukraine are locked in an intensified long-range drone and missile war, with strikes now regularly hitting Moscow, St. Petersburg, Crimea, and major Ukrainian cities as both sides escalate attacks on energy and defense infrastructure.
